Electric contact devices

ABSTRACT

An electric contact device comprising two cooperating contacts, of which one consists of a holder containing at least one stack of interlocked, equal and equally directed, resilient, metal plates which are folded in V-shape and mounted for tilting about their folds in said holder, said plates lying with one of their free edges, which are parallel to the folds, against a contact surface of the holder and forming with their other free edges, which are also parallel to the folds, a resilient contact surface for cooperation with the other contact.

IUiiite Mates Patent Inventors Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Rintje Boersma lI-larmelen;

Gijsbert W. lrik, Bilthoven, both of Netherlands Aug. 22, 1969 Oct. 19, 1971 N. V.COQ" Utrecht ELECTRIC CONTACT DEVICES 9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

11.5. CI 339/262 R Int. Cl ..H01r 13/12 Field of Search 339/95, 258, 259, 262

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,423,548 7/1947 Bels 339/262 FOREIGN PATENTS 552,995 1/1931 Germany. 339/262 R 482,950 7/1953 Italy 339/259R Primary Examiner-Joseph Hi McGlynn Attorney-lmirie, Smiley, Snyder & Butrum ABSTRACT: An electric contact device comprising two cooperating contacts, of which one consists of a holder containing at least one stack of interlocked, equal and equally directed, resilient, metal plates which are folded in V-shape and mounted for tilting about their folds in said holder, said plates lying with one of their free edges, which are parallel to the folds, against a contact surface of the holder and forming with their other free edges, which are also parallel to the folds, a resilient contact surface for cooperation with the other contact.

lEhlEtCtI (IUNTACT NEW The invention relates to an electric contact device comprising two cooperating contacts adapted to be brought into contact with each other and to be separated from one another, one of said contacts being provided with resilient contact members which in the state of contact of the device are pressed against a contact surface of the other contact.

it has the object to provide a contact device which has an extraordinarily simple construction and is adapted to exert great contact pressure, where as it can be made suitable both for small and great currents. According to the invention this object is achieved in that the contact provided with the resilient contact members consists of a holder containing at least one stack of interlocked, equal and equally directed, resilient, metal plates which are folded in V-shape and mounted for tilting about their folds in said holder, said plates being locked at or near their folds against lateral movement, lying with one of their free edges parallel to the folds against a contact surface of the holder and forming with their other free edges parallel to the folds a contact surface cooperating with the other contact.

if the contact provided with the resilient V-shaped plates is brought into cooperation with the other contact, the two portions of each plate joining in the fold thereof are forced resiliently towards each other, so that their free edges parallel to the fold lie with great pressure against the contact surfaces of the holder and the other contact. By increasing the length and the number of the plates the contact device can be made suitable for great currents.

Contact devices of this kind are suitable for the detachable connection of switch gear parts, for no-load isolating switches, earthing contacts, etc.

A very simple contact device is obtained, if it is constructed in such a manner, that the plate portions extending between the folds and the contact surface of the holder extend at both ends of the plates beyond the plate portions extending between the folds and the free edges cooperating with the other contact, said first-mentioned plate portions engaging with their protruding parts grooves of the holder, the distance between the front walls of said grooves and the contact surface of the holder being smaller than the width of the plate portions engaging said grooves. in that case the protruding plate parts can only be arranged into the grooves of the holder in an oblique direction. If the V-shaped plates are forced back by the other contact the plates are tilted about their folds and the protruding plate parts become wedged between the front walls of said grooves and the contact surface of the holder, so that a good electric contact between the plates and the holder is established. ln order to make the contact pressure between the plates and the contact surface of the holder extra great, which is necessary since the plates and the said contact surface do not slide on each other and therefore are not rubbed clean again and again as happens between the other contact and the plates, a construction is recommended, in which the plate porh'ons extending between the folds and the contact surface of the holder have a smaller width than the plate portions extending between the folds and the free edges cooperating with the other contact. lDue thereto the pressure exerted by the other contact on the plates is transmitted on the contact surface of the holder while increased by lever action.

it has appeared to be advantageous if the V-shaped plates are spaced by distance strips. The edges of the plates which come into contact with the contact surfaces of the holder and the other contact are then able to move a little in respect of each other, so that each plate is able to adjunct itself in a way which is most favorable in respect of the contact pressure.

The distance strips may also engage with their end parts the grooves of the holder if such a holder is used to hold the V- shaped plates. in that case said strips need not be provided with special fastening means.

The invention will be elucidated with the aid of the drawing. In the drawing:

FIG. 11 is an axial sectional view of an electric contact device according to the invention and HG. It is a cross-sectional view taken on line lI-ll in FIG. ll.

The contact device shown in the on consists of two cooperating contacts l and 2 which are adapted to be brought into contact with one another and to be separated from each other at will. The contact l is a solid contact which is mounted for movement in the direction of the arrows in (FIG. 2). The contact 2 consists of a stationary holder 3 and two opposite stacks of interlocked, equal and equally directed, resilient, metal plates 4 folded in V-shape and mounted in said holder. Said plates are able to tilt about their folds 5 and their portions da, lb joining in the folds have different widths. The narrower portions lb are longer than the broader portions in and they engage with their protruding parts c axial grooves n of the holder 3. Between the grooves it the holder is provided with a plane contact surfaces 7. The grooves 45 are located and formed in such a manner, that the distance between their front walls 8 and their contact surfaces 7 is smaller than the width of the narrower plate portions db, so that these plate portions can be arranged in the grooves 6 in an oblique direction only. The plates 4% come to lie with their free edges 9 parallel to the folds 5 against the contact surfaces 7 of the holder and with their free edges ll), which are also parallel to the folds 5, against the contact surfaces l l of the movable contact 11, if the latter is inserted into the contact ill. The V-shaped plates are resiliently compressed by the contact l and due thereto the edges W are pressed with a certain force against the contact surfaces ill of the contact l and the edges 9 are pressed with a greater force against the contact surfaces 7 of the holder 3. ln order to make that each plate t can adjust itself freely, so that all plates come to lie with the required pressures against the contact surfaces 7 and ll, distance strips l2 are provided between the plates d. Said strips also engage the grooves o with their end parts. Locking plates 113 are fixed to the holder 3 to lock the stacks of plates d therein.

For an axially movable contact 1 the V-shaped plates d may be arranged in a polygon about said contact. It is also possible to mount the V-shaped plates 4i upside down in the holder 3, so that the free edges 9 and MB face the bottom of the holder, should this be more favorable in respect of the movement of the movable contact.

What we claim is:

l. An electrical contact device comprising a first contact having at least one contact surface, and an assembly constituting a second contact, said first and second contacts being relatively movable to as to be brought :into and out of electrical contact with each other;

said assembly which constitutes said second contact com prising a holder and a stack of contact units, said holder having a surface portion defining a second contact surface disposed in spaced, opposed relation to said one contact surface when the two contacts are in electrical contact relation, and having further surface portions defining pair of spaced grooves facing each other across the space between said one contact surface and said second contact surface and extending generally parallel with said contact surfaces; each contact unit including a V-shaped metal plate presenting opposite side edge portions joined along a line of fold, and means projecting beyond the opposite ends of the metal plate and into said grooves for retaining each contact unit in place, each such means being of a width greater than the groove in which it is received, one side edge portion having a free edge engaging said one contact surface and the other side edge portion having a free edge engaging said second contact surface.

2. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 11 wherein said first contact has a further contact surface parallel to said one contact surface and said. holder has a further surface portion defining a third contact surface facing said second contact surface and disposed in spaced opposed rela tion to said further contact surface, said holder also having surface portions defining a further pair of grooves facing each other across said space between said third contact surface and said further contact surface, and said assembly including a second stack of contact units similar to the first mentioned stack of contact units and cooperating with said third contact surface and said further contact surface.

3. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises projecting end portions of said other side edge portion.

4. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 3 wherein each contact unit also includes a spacer strip seated on said other side edge portion.

5. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 4 wherein each spacer strip presents opposite end portions seated in said grooves.

6. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 1 wherein said one side edge portion is of greater width than 

1. An electrical contact device comprising a first contact having at least one contact surface, and an assembly constituting a second contact, said first and second contacts being relativelY movable to as to be brought into and out of electrical contact with each other; said assembly which constitutes said second contact comprising a holder and a stack of contact units, said holder having a surface portion defining a second contact surface disposed in spaced, opposed relation to said one contact surface when the two contacts are in electrical contact relation, and having further surface portions defining pair of spaced grooves facing each other across the space between said one contact surface and said second contact surface and extending generally parallel with said contact surfaces; each contact unit including a V-shaped metal plate presenting opposite side edge portions joined along a line of fold, and means projecting beyond the opposite ends of the metal plate and into said grooves for retaining each contact unit in place, each such means being of a width greater than the groove in which it is received, one side edge portion having a free edge engaging said one contact surface and the other side edge portion having a free edge engaging said second contact surface.
 2. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first contact has a further contact surface parallel to said one contact surface and said holder has a further surface portion defining a third contact surface facing said second contact surface and disposed in spaced opposed relation to said further contact surface, said holder also having surface portions defining a further pair of grooves facing each other across said space between said third contact surface and said further contact surface, and said assembly including a second stack of contact units similar to the first mentioned stack of contact units and cooperating with said third contact surface and said further contact surface.
 2. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first contact has a further contact surface parallel to said one contact surface and said holder has a further surface portion defining a third contact surface facing said second contact surface and disposed in spaced opposed relation to said further contact surface, said holder also having surface portions defining a further pair of grooves facing each other across said space between said third contact surface and said further contact surface, and said assembly including a second stack of contact units similar to the first mentioned stack of contact units and cooperating with said third contact surface and said further contact surface.
 3. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means comprises projecting end portions of said other side edge portion.
 4. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 3 wherein each contact unit also includes a spacer strip seated on said other side edge portion.
 5. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 4 wherein each spacer strip presents opposite end portions seated in said grooves.
 6. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 1 wherein said one side edge portion is of greater width than said other side edge portion.
 7. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 6 wherein said means comprises projecting end portions of said other side edge portion.
 8. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 7 wherein each contact unit also includes a spacer strip seated on said other side edge portion.
 9. The electrical contact device as defined in claim 8 wherein each spacer strip presents opposite end portions seated in said grooves. 